* * *

Andreas rang the doorbell and glanced at his watch in frustration.

He was much, much later than he’d planned. Stabilising the little girl in A and E had taken a long time and in the end he’d admitted her to the ward, leaving instructions with the staff that they were to call him if there was any change in her condition. It had been a nasty attack.

The door opened and, instead of Libby, he found himself staring at a tall, dark-haired man with very blue eyes.

Andreas tensed and the warmth of his greeting froze on his lips.

This was not what he’d expected. It had never occurred to him that Libby could be living with someone.

His reaction to the evidence that she had another man in her life was so intense that he sucked in a breath as he felt a rush of that most basic of emotions—

Jealousy.

The man extended a hand, his expression friendly. ‘I’m Alex—Libby’s brother. You must be the guy who bought her. I tell you now, you should get yourself a refund. The girl’s high maintenance and she costs a fortune in chocolate and shoes.’

Brother?

The tension left his shoulders and Andreas smiled warmly. The knowledge that she lived with her brother and not her boyfriend caused him a significant amount of relief.

‘Come on in.’ Alex stood to one side to let him pass. ‘The girls are in the bedroom. I don’t know what’s going on but there’s lots of giggling.’

‘It was kind of her to bring Adrienne home.’ Andreas glanced around him, noticing the elegance of the spacious apartment. ‘Your sister is good with children.’

Alex gave a short laugh. ‘Better with children than she is with adults. Can I get you a drink?’

Andreas smiled and shook his head. ‘No, thanks. I need to take Adrienne back to school.’ He ran a hand over his darkened jaw. ‘That’s if I can persuade her to go back.’

At that moment a door opened and Adrienne came flying out, her face happy and smiling.

‘Guess what? Libby’s promised to pick me up from school and take me shopping one day soon.’

She had? Why would she do a thing like that?

Andreas hid his surprise. A day shopping with a twelve-year-old girl bent on choosing a totally unsuitable wardrobe wasn’t his idea of relaxation. Why would Libby have volunteered for the task? She had no reason to want to help Adrienne.

He looked at Libby curiously but she carefully avoided his gaze.

Adrienne slipped an arm through his and looked sheepish. ‘I’m sorry I ran away. Did you ring the school? Were they furious?’

‘Yes, I rang and, no, they weren’t furious. They were worried.’ Andreas rubbed a hand over the back of his neck, wondering how he was going to help her to settle in. For all his experience with women, he knew nothing about twelve-year-old girls. ‘It’s a good school, Adrienne.’

Adrienne pulled a face. ‘I suppose the teachers are OK but I haven’t got any friends.’